POTTSVILLE - The Apaches battled back from a five-point half-time deficit to escape with a 66-61 victory Friday night over visiting Dardanelle in 5AAA Conference action at George S. Jones Gymnasium.

Trailing 29-24 at the half, the Apaches managed to tie the game in the third, and then overcame two five-point deficits in the final quarter to pick up the victory.

The game did have a little controversy. With Dardanelle up 55-54 with 2:20 remaining, Pottsville missed a shot that was rebounded by Dardanelle. An official timeout followed, and the Apaches were given two points because of goaltending.

The call made the score 56-55 in favor of Pottsville, and it sparked an 8-0 run by the Apaches, who led by as much as seven down the stretch. The Sand Lizards were able to get the lead down to three points twice in the final 10 seconds, but could get no closer.

The game started as a see-saw battle with three lead changes and a tie in the first quarter before Dardanelle scored the last five points of the quarter, including a three-point buzzer-beater by C.J. Chaten that banked in off the glass to give the Sand Lizards the 16-12 edge.

Dardanelle (6-8, 0-4) never trailed in the second quarter. Pottsville managed to tie the score at 16-all on a basket by Larry Shingleur, who finished with a game-high 26 points, with 6:45 to go. The Lizards, however, answered with five straight points, including a trey by Zac Cossey with 5:18 to go and Dardanelle would lead the rest of the half.

The Lizards pushed their lead up to as high as 29-21 with 1:24 to go in the second quarter, but Pottsville Jake Lee canned a three-pointer with 1:11 to go to cut the lead to 29-24 heading into halftime.

In the third quarter, Pottsville caught Dardanelle at the 2:00 mark on a basket by Lee, who finished with 11 points, that tied the game at 35. The teams traded baskets the rest of the third to go knotted at 40 into the final quarter.

Cory Thone scored the first basket of the final quarter for Dardanelle and the Sand Lizards would lead until the goaltending call with 2:20 to go where the Apaches took the lead and never surrendered it again.

Chaten led Dardanelle with 21 points, followed by Jeremy Cheatham with 13. Cossey finished with 10.

Garrett Hill was second on Pottsville with 15 points.

Dardanelle will play Danville tonight in the finals of the Yell County Tournament in Danville. The Sand Lizards defeated Fourche Valley in Thursday's late game by a 68-39 score.

In that game, C.J. Chaten connected on his first four three-point attempts as he rolled up 31 points in just three quarters of play. Jeremy Cheatham added 11, including three treys on the night. Overall, Dardanelle had nine three-pointers on the night.

The Lizards led 23-6 at the end of the first quarter and 39-23 at the half, and then increased their lead to 62-29 at the end of the third quarter.

Lady Lizards 45,

Lady Apaches 33

After taking a 2-1 lead on a pair of free throws by Shawna Hilton early in the first quarter, Dardanelle led the rest of the way, but couldn't put away the pesky Lady Apaches until the fourth quarter.

Pottsville hung close throughout most of the game, not letting the Lady Lizards (8-9, 3-1) get ahead by double figures until late in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Apaches could never find a big run to catch the Lady Lizards.

Dardanelle had an 11-8 advantage at the end of the first quarter and held a 25-17 edge at halftime with Hilton scoring the last four points of the second quarter for four of her game-high 23 points that pushed the lead from 21-17 to 25-17.

Both teams struggled offensively in the third quarter with Dardanelle managing just four points and Pottsville not managing much better with six, but it did allow the Lady Apaches to trim the lead to 29-25.

Pottsville's Whitney Harris opened scoring in the fourth quarter to get the lead down to two points at 29-27, but that would be as close as the Lady Apaches would get the ret of the way as Dardanelle went on a 12-2 run to put the game away.

Chelsey White scored 10 points to compliment Hiltons' 23.

Brittany Overturf led Pottsville with 10 points, followed by Brittany Swain with nine, and Lauren Tracy with eight.

The Lady Lizards will be off until Tuesday when Dardanelle will host Mayflower.